But, boy, he knows how to cut deep. His “real strikers” remark was up there with the “specialist in failure” swipe.

“[Football’s] also about scoring goals, getting in behind, and that’s for strikers. Real strikers.”

Unlike the ones he has under his care, presumably.

Roman Abramovich must have looked more puzzled than usual.

He has spent almost £200million on 14 strikers... and Mourinho still didn’t have one good enough for a Champions League quarter-final.

With every slight against his attackers – and despite his support on Friday, it WAS a slight against Torres – Mourinho knocks a few pounds off their value. At this rate, Chelsea and ­Abramovich won’t be able to give Torres and Demba Ba away.

Scott Heavey

Under fire: Mourinho has had a pop at Fernando Torres

Considering the club’s success in the Abramovich era, its track record with strikers is abysmal.

Only Didier Drogba has been an ­unqualified success. Marquee names have arrived and their hard-won reputations dismantled.